Quantity and Learning
How do you learn? I think this an important question if you’re a writer, because a writing career is really just an endless path of learning. At least, that’s what it feels like to me.
There are many types of learners, but one of the spectrums is quantity vs. focus. (I was going to say quantity vs. quality, but that implies that quantity learners don’t reach quality, and that just isn’t true.)
Focused Learning
Let’s take music. 
When teaching Sonatina form, there are two approaches (three if you count the more common in-between approach). One approach is to teach one Sonatina, work on it for a year, and dig into every corner and really understand it. The theory is that if you learn one Sonatina really well, you’ll be able to apply it to all Sonatinas.
This is great for some students. They flourish under this kind of work. They extract everything that can be learned about Sonatinas from a single Sonatina. (Not that they only one in their lifetime. Just an example.)
Quantity Learning
For other students, they will continue to play the same way they first learned the piece. They’ll reach a point, some more quickly than others, where they will learn nothing more with that piece, and all the months of work they continue to do on it will offer up little progress. And, in fact, continuing work on it will reinforce everything they’re doing wrong, making it more likely for them to get worse.
With those learners, it is best to learn five or seven or ten Sonatinas a year. The first ones will be sloppy and horrid. By the time they get to their tenth Sonatina, though, what they learn for you during the first week is pretty near performance ready.
Aren’t these sub-headings pretty?
In music, I’d say both types of learners make the same progress by the end of the year, although it seems that the quantity learners have a better foundation for a real career. That may be piano-specific.
It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to do something, as long as you do it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a quantity or single-focused learner, as long as you learn.
What kind of writer are you? Where on the quantity spectrum do you work best? Have you tried both ways? In between?
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Natasha Fondren is a writer traveling the U.S. in a camper with her four cats and husband. She spends summers camped near her niece, because, well, her niece is her favorite girl on the planet.
I’ve definitely seen the same approach used with writing. There are those who become so attached to their first books that they will revise and rewrite them for a decade, insisting that they won’t move on to another book until they sell their first one. I’m sure they learn a lot from doing that, but if they never apply it to another book and their first one doesn’t ever get published, then is it really worthwhile? After all, it could be something like the topic or the premise or the time period holding the book back, not the writing at all, and if the writer had only moved on to something else they may have had more success.
Being a quantity learner myself, I’m often amazed at how much a book can grow in the hands of such a worker.
There is a balance between the approaches, though. Like you said, sometimes it’s just a fundamental premise problem or lack of hook… whatever… it’s just not going to sell.
So true! A balance is very important. I’m sure we’ve both known people who will write something and then discard it without even bothering to revise – or even to finish it in the first place. Not a recipe for success either.
By the way, I love your in-post reply function! I tried to set something like that up on my blog, but it didn’t work with my template. Consider me jealous.
Isn’t that the COOLEST? I’m so tickled pink by it! I’m pretty new to Word Press, so I’m loving all its features. I didn’t know what I was missing when I was with blogger!
My wordpress doesn’t give me cascading comments. I’m totally jealous.
Awww!
Hey, come to think of it, you told me about a blog post but it didn’t show up in my reader. I don’t understand. Must go investigate!
I can think of two writers who kept writing their books — and years later they both sold them to major publishers. One for a pretty good amount of money. I can also think of someone who kept rewriting a book. Her writing never seemed to get better and IMO the premise was awful. She was stuck and couldn’t move on. I haven’t heard from her for about a year or more. But who knows? Maybe she will sell it and it will be a best seller some day.
I love polishing my book, and probably do 3-6 revisions. But there comes a time when I know if I read it one more time I won’t be able to stand it. I would rather clean litter boxes. In my mind I already have something else planned to write and I’m eager to get to it.
Yes, Edie! Ohmigosh, I’m thinking of someone who I routinely (when I was a baby know-nothing writer) kept thinking, “Just write another book already!”
And wouldn’t you know it? She sold it last year, after at least ten years. That was HER book, you know? The book of her heart. I don’t know, but I don’t think she had any interest in writing another.
I love watching you work, Edie. You’re so steady and focused! At least, that’s how it looks from where I’m sitting!
At least when one learns a quantity of things there is the potential for interactions and relationships, which isn’t possible if your learning is more limited. I think I’m probably in the middle as a writer but I certainly do seem to spend very long periods of time on just a few words.
Charles, that’s a good point. You get more opportunities, more opportunities to learn from people. I think I learn best when I apply to my next story, but then I write slowly. But I spend 12 hours a day writing, so most people just look at my output and think I write fast, LOL!
I guess I am more of a quantity learner, with most things. But… some things I want to learn all about, delve into the nitty-gritty and all that. I don’t know. Frankly, grad school has shot my poor little brain to Cheez Whiz this semester. But on the bright side, I found some really neat vintage cover art from Harlequin the other day–stop by the blog and check them out!
Hope your travels are going well!
I bet, Elizabeth! School has a way of doing that to you. Plus work on top of it!
I’m heading over to your blog now! (And we’re headed, finally, to Arizona on Saturday!)
Definitely a quantity learner. I need to try and do a lot of stuff to get better. Plus, I get bored, and feel like trying something new. But I’ve looked back at old writing, and can tell everything is getting better. So, somehow this works for me.
Me too, Robin. Whatever works is good, in my book!
I am so distractable, I’m astonished I can write a book at all, LOL!
I’m a learner as I go sorta gal. The lessons stick … which is good, so I don’t think I rehash mistakes. I cannot see being stuck on the same book for years and years. You’ve got to move on at some point.
Liz, I’d feel stuck in a rut, but I remember also, when doing the quantity learning, feeling like nothing I did was polished or satisfactory. I think everyone has their balance.
Personally, I need to learn my mistakes two or three times before I get it, LOL!
I try to be a full throttle, never say die till the ending writer of the first draft, but I can’t. I have to get it reasonably clean. I have to take a measured pace and reread to get my head back into the story every time I sit down to write.
And how I learn is subliminal, I guess you could say. I just sort of absorb it like you learn language as a baby. Then the light bulb pops on for the “Oh, of course!” moment and I congratulate myself on being so wise and chug along again until the next mini-epiphany!
But you never stop having the epiphanies. I think because any artistic pursuit involves context and intent so intimately with the braiding together of technique and ideas. Very complex, just like conducting a full orchestra–with cannon!
Oh yes, Written. That’s how I write. I edit, I tinker with plot, I rearrange… all while doing the “first” draft.
I like that: subliminal. Before I can apply something well, I tend to have to be able to knowit so well I can forget it. Not that that really makes sense.
With writing I’m more of a quanity learner. I have four completed manuscripts (all YA) that I’m doing rewrites and revisions on. One I started seven years ago,one four years ago, one two years ago, and one last year. I didn’t plan it this way. I just started a new book when an idea really struck me and I couldn’t let it go. What I’ve learned is that a rewrite on one helps me with rewrites on the others.
That’s a good point, Paul! I never thought of it that way. I sure wish I could go back and revise my first works with what I know now!
Oh I go for quantity. I hate reworking writing. I figure I’ll work on weaknesses and correct mistakes in the next project. I get bored easily going over the same old thing. Better start something new new, with endless new possibilities for mistakes. Much more interesting!
Me, too, Eric! I enjoy editing, but at some point, you gotta focus on the next paycheck.
How do you get to Carnegie Hall???
Practise, baby, practise!
First draft is lightning fast, subsequent drafts just plog along, carefully editing, editing and re-editing.
I always wished I could write that way, Aimless! I’m dying for a lightning fast draft.
With a two by four upside my head.
With things like writing – I’m mostly quantity. That process means learning every little thing I can about the craft of writing. I just need a new project to keep moving forward.
The two by four – repetition – is for things that some people call common sense. I seem to be lacking in that department.
LOL, Sarah! My difficulty is attention. I need a two-by-four there, for sure.
I think that I fall in the category of quantity. I really started learning alot when I got into writing flash earlier this year.
A lot of the comments I got on my stories are definitely helping me with my other writings.
At least I’m much better now than I was, say two years ago.
I love short stories, G! I’ve learned so much by writing short stories.
I am obsessive. Give me one single thing and I will make it my entire focus–at times to my detriment. Multiple tasks will only serve to scatter my thoughts and make me apathetic to them all.
Avery, I’m the same way, almost to an extreme. Some days, I can’t handle taking a shower because it will interrupt and disrupt my writing, LOL. I probably shouldn’t admit that out loud.
Err… I don’t know. I’m a hands-on learner, I know that, and typically once I do something — and especially if I take notes — I’ve got it. I get tired of busy work, but repetition does help me, provided the examples are useful. If that makes sense.
That’s awesome, Melanie! I know what you mean about busy work. And repetition!
After much head-scratching, I’m a quality person. Hmmm, this might explain a lot of things regarding my non-career as a writer. I love rewriting and rewriting and rewriting and changing POVs and adding characters and new twists. I have lots of other ideas, but I got stuck 3 years ago when I continued to try to perfect my one and only completed novel. Gah. I’ve since decided to dedicate my life to writing comments to blogs.
LOL, Reenie! You know, I’ve probably written the equivalent of three or four novels in blog comments, LOL!
A lot of good books were written with much revision over quite a few years.
I do love your pretty green sub headers. When I studied piano I was more the focused learning type. Although usually I did focused for multiple at a time. Typically two or three with one being really hard and the others not as much or a different style. I’m still like that with my writing. I’ve done some smaller things and have one “trunk” novel (but was so young when I finished it…14 I think…that I don’t really count it). My current novel is something that I am going to work on until it shines. I’m not the type to do things half way. Thus focused works best for me
I like the analogy. Very true observation.
Thank you, Lauren! I like them, too.
I didn’t know you studied piano! How cool! No wonder we’re friends! 
Wow, I can’t believe you wrote a novel at 14! Well, I can, knowing you, but I’m really, really impressed.
Quantity, hands down. And I’m so glad because then I know I’ll never stop learning!
That old adage where you don’t learn how to write a book but you learn how to write THIS book? That’s me all over.
Bets, that is the TRUTH! I once thought I’d learn how to write a story. Nope. Every single one is different!